Tongue-supporter for vehicles.



J. JENSEN. TONGUE SUPPORTER FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 13, 1913.

Inventor Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

Witnesses Mme Attrneys JIM JENSEN, OF WALNUT, IOWA.

T-ONGUE-SUPPORTER FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914-.

Application filed October 13, 1913. Serial No. 794,965.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J 1M Jansen, a citizen of the United States, residing at Walnut, in the county of Pottawattamie and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Tongue-Supporter for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invent-ion relates to supporters for vehicle tongues, one of the objects of the invention being to provide a simple, durable and efficient device of this character which can be applied readily to vehicles already in use and which will operate to hold a tongue elevated in active position so that draft animals are thus relieved of most of the weight of the tongue while the same is in use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction. hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation of the attachment in position, a portion of the vehicle being shown and the position of the tongue when lowered, being indicated by dotted lines and when in active position being indicated in full lines. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference A designates the front axle of a vehicle, the same being provided with the usual forwardly extending tongue supporting arms B, the tongue which is indicated at C, extending between the arms and being mounted on a pivot rod or bolt D.

Secured to the axle A are bolts 1 extending through the curved or hooked ends 2 of rear side strips 3. These strips are extended under the arms B and are connected at their front ends by a cross bolt 4. Coiled springs 5 are connected to this bolt and extend upwardly, there being loops 6 at the upper ends of the springs and which are mounted on the pivot bolt D. These springs serve to hold the strips 3 normally drawn upwardly toward the arms B. Pivotally mounted on the bolt 4 are elongated front side strips 7 each of which has its free end widened and provided with a longitudinal slot 8, the front end of which is extended downwardly as at 9 and then backwardly as at 10.

Secured upon the tongue E is a plate 11 having an upstanding tongue 12 in which is formed a series of apertures 13. A bolt 14 is adapted to be placed in any one of these apertures and extends across and beyond the sides of the tongue, the ends of the bolt being extended into the slots 8 in the two side strips 7 lVithdrawal of the bolt from the slots is prevented by washers 15 or the like.

WVhen it is desired to support the tongue E in active position, the same is swung upwardly about its pivot D so that bolt 14 will thus slide longitudinally within the slot 8 and against the forward or upper end walls of the slots 8. Said strips 7 are then pressed backwardly to bring the rearwardly extending portions 10 of the slots in line with the bolt 14. Obviously, as soon as the tongue C is released it will swing'downward and cause the bolt to move relative to strips 7 so that the end portions of bolt 14 will become seated in the rearwardly extending portions 10 of the slots. Thus the tongue will be supported by the strips 7 and springs 5, the downward movement of the tongue being prevented by reason of the fact that the bolt 14 is seated in the portions 10 of the slots. When it is desired to lower the tongue to the ground, it is merely necessary to swing the tongue upwardly so as to cause the bolt 14 to lift out of portions 10 of slots 8 after which the strips 7 can be drawn downwardly so as thus to bring the bolt 14' into the upper or outer ends of the slots 8. By then releasing the tongue, the same will swing downwardly so that bolt 14 will slide longitudinally of the slots. 8 until it comes toward or against the back or lower ends of the slots.

lVhat is claimed is l. A support for vehicle tongues, including pivotally connected front and rear side strips, means for pivotally connecting the rear side strips to a vehicle, springs for connecting the meeting portions of the front and rear side strips to a portion of the vehicle thereabove, there being angular slots in the front side strips, and means upon the tongue of the vehicle for slidably engaging the slotted portions of the front side strips, said means cooperating with said portions for yieldingly supporting the tongue.

2. The combination with a vehicle axle and a tongue mounted to swing relative thereto, of a tongue supporting structure including rear side strips pivotally connected to the axle, front side strips having angular slots in the front portions thereof, means for pivotally connecting the front and rear side strips, a spring constituting a connection between the vehicle and said pivotal means, and means adjustably mounted on the tongue for slidably engaging the slotted portions of the front side strips, said means and slotted portions cooperating to yieldingly support the tongue.

3. The combination with a vehicle axle and a tongue mounted to swing relative thereto, of a tongue supporting structure including rear side strips pivotally connected to the axle, front side strips having angular slots in the front portions thereof, means for pivotally connecting the front and rear side strips, a spring constituting a connection between the vehicle and said pivotal means, and means adjustably mounted on the tongue for slidably engaging the slotted portions of the front side strips, said means and slotted portions cooperating to yieldingly support the tongue in active position.

4. The combination with a vehicle axle and a tongue mounted to swing relative thereto,

of a tongue supporting means including a rear structure adapted to swing relative to the axle, a front structure, a pivotal con nection between the two structures, a spring connection between the said pivotal connection and the vehicle to yieldingly support the connection said front structure having angular slots therein, and means connected to the tongue and cooperating with the slotted portions of the front structure for supporting the tongue in active position.

5. A tongue supporter for vehicles, in cluding a rear structure adapted to be pivotally connected to a vehicle, springs for yield ingly supporting the front end of said structure, a front structure pivotally connected to the front end of the rear structure and having angular slots therein, said front structure adapted to extend beyond the sides of the tongue to be supported, and means adapted to be connected to the tongue, for sliding within the slots, said means and the walls of the slots cooperating to support a tongue in active position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

J 1M JENSEN.

Witnesses S. C. PEDERsEN, J OHN PETERSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of E'atents. Washington, D. G. 

